David Rothkopf and Joanna Coles recap a week in which Donald Trump stumbled from one self-inflicted crisis to the next, from mounting questions over his handling of Iran and another controversial intelligence pick to renewed scrutiny of the Epstein files and a White House increasingly consumed by political damage control. They also unpack Trump's plan to stage a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House as part of the celebration for his 80th birthday, examining the ethics, symbolism, and political fallout of turning the People's House into the backdrop for one of his biggest spectacles yet. Along the way, they explain why Trump's allies are growing nervous, why Democrats see momentum shifting ahead of the midterms, and why the controversies he keeps trying to outrun may finally be catching up with him. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.com/dailybeast #ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.